High-Dose Vitamin C Could Cut Duration of Common Colds (and Other Infections)

A new review of prior clinical data shows high doses of Vitamin C might reduce the duration of common colds and other types of infections. At a dose rate of between 6 to 8 grams of Vitamin C, prior studies show the duration of colds reduced by almost 20%.

In one study 3 grams of Vitamin C per day was given to 2 participating groups a third group was given a Vitamin C dose of 6 grams per day and a fourth group received a placebo. When compared to the placebo group the group receiving the 6 grams of Vitamin C daily experienced a 17% reduction in the duration of their colds. This result was twice as much as the group receiving the 3 grams of Vitamin C per day.

In another study one group received a Vitamin C dose of 4 grams per day while another group supplemented 8 grams of Vitamin C daily while others additional groups received a placebo. These dosages of Vitamin C and the placebo were administered on the first day of the cold. The results showed that when compared to the group supplementing with the placebo the participants supplementing with the 8 grams of daily Vitamin C showed there colds were shortened by about 19% which was twice as much as the group supplementing with the 4 grams of daily Vitamin C.

Researchers suggested that the majority of prior controlled studies used a dose of only 1 gram of Vitamin C daily and that when looking at studies using a wider range of dosages as outlined above it may explain why lower dosage studies found no correlation between Vitamin C and reduced durations of cold and other infections. Researchers suggest that new randomized trials using higher dosages of Vitamin C must be performed.

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